Moving To Finland

When moving to another country ya hafta keep in mind that foreign is a real word. The local bank has now decided that I can get a debit card but not a credit card. For them to trust me with a credit card I would need an ID card which one gets from the police station. So, off to see the cops.  First attempt failed as the police are not open on Thursday, just Tuesday and Friday. So criminals know when to work! Friday we head to the police station and take woman completely by surprise.  You don’t have an appointment?  Yah, no...we didn’t know.  Well what do you want?  Splained it all to her, she takes my driver’s license and looks me up in her computer.  Not a Finnish citizen? No.  Permanent resident status?  Had it, don’t know if I lost it when I moved back to the States.  In the end it was decided that we need to: Go to immigration Get permanent status Get an permanent address Go to some office and get recorded at that address Com...

Our first Finnish birthday was on Sunday at our grandson’s house.  All are actually step-children but that gets cumbersome. The second picture is of our first sun rise. Officially at 9:30 but the picture was taken at 8:45.  

So much to do, so much to  tell. Our first few days were so full of new sights, sounds and people we were worn out by noon.  Friends and relatives have been fantastic. Helping us find a temporary car, going around to look at houses (more on that tomorrow), figuring out the best places to shop, it has been a hoot. Today we took off on our own like grownups and found a store that seemed to be part Home Depot and part Tractor Supply, Larry was in heaven.  Have located a flea market, a second hand store and the open air market (open only on Wednesday and Saturday during the winter). We are staying in an Airbnb in a little town called Nakkila.  They have chickens and a few sheep with enough room for Sophie to run around some. It is a super place to be, kitchen privileges and hot cereal of some sort for breakfast. Our hosts have been helpful in teaching us how to recycle properly. There is a place for paper, metal, plastic, compost, chicken feed and trash. More t...

Made it in one piece. Sophie was just wonderful on the planes.  She didn’t care for the noise at takeoff and landing but the flight itself was fine. We are still trying to get used to the time change.  Waking up in the middle of the night when we should be sleeping then sleeping until 9am.  Good thing we are retired.

Sitting in the motel a mile from JFK and thinking about all the wonderful folks I’m leaving behind in the States.  Not even going to try to list you all.  Talking to one neighbor we agreed that while we didn’t see each other that often we knew the other was there and that was nice.  The world is a big place, the internet has made it smaller and I’m a pro at FaceTime on Facebook messenger.  Seven hours ahead of you all on Eastern time so let’s set up dates for chats until you are able to visit Finland. Sophie in Cracker Barrel the other night, fed up with the noisy children. Many thanks to all of you for all the help and support you’ve given during this transition.

Paperwork seems to be never ending in this process.  Who was I to think one could simply load a lifetime of crap up, contact a mover and whoosh we’re gone. Wrong. Contact mover in Finland, needs copy of: Passports Packing list Car Title Car Registration Car Insurance Took pictures with my phone and email, she’s happy. Next contact from the fella in the USA, perhaps located in California as his first emails arrive around 10 or 11am eastern. He needs all of the above, emailed the same email but also needs bill of sale on the cars. No news for several days. Stupid me figures everyone is happy. California needs more. Photos aren’t good enough. Need to be scanned and emailed. Trip to Staples where a young man thinks I need to learn how to use the machine but a wonderful woman does it all for me. Now, everyone is happy and we get pickup dates for everything. Ha! Get on line to order tickets.  American Airlines, oh you have a service dog.  You’ll need to orde...

Then the questions started: Where is Finland? - Near Russia and Sweden, Oh! By Siberia? How far is it to Finland? - About 4,500 miles So not in Tennessee? In December the question, is it summer there now? - No about like Alaska. Do they have Home Depot? And so it started. Next up, paperwork.

This whole thing started when Larry went on his first vacation in 15 years.  His trip to Florida was so successful he came back and told me he didn’t want to die while digging fence post holes.  I agreed that would be a drag. One morning, shortly after and before he’d had is coffee, I suggested that we sell the place. He agreed and that’s when things started to get interesting. With the current healthcare being what it is in the USA we figured our take from selling the farm could be gone in the wink of an eye.  My vote was for Finland but the language was a bit of an issue for Larry.  Got family, friends and it’s more humane than the USA is at this moment. Finland it was! Thus, two years plus a bit, we decided to sell the farm and move to Finland. To be continued.

This what repacking looks like.  Had all my boxes numbered and contents listed. They came, they saw organization, they sneered and tore it all apart!  The fellas were great, just doing what they’d been told.

Here’s something we learned this past week about forwarding mail to your new address.  We went to the post office on Friday figured they’d stop delivery to our home by Monday and begin sending to the forwarding address (PO Box in neighboring town).  Dropped by to see what was there a couple of times, nothing. Spoke to the woman there, seems it takes a week or two before the mail starts to get forwarded. Called the Jamestown post office and were told that it indeed takes 10-14 days before mail will be sent to new address.  Mail would continue to go to the abandoned mailbox. Larry takes a ride to the house to pick up mail, nothing there. Hah? Larry takes a ride to the post office in Jamestown and the story changes.  Seems our mail is being held in Nashville until such time as it can be forwarded. Luckily we have a friendly neighbor who is willing to go to the PO and sort through it to see if there is anything important there as we will be out of the country before ...